First appearance for Jasperite facing drug charges
Donald Roop made a brief appearance in court Jan. 8 to face charges stemming from a December drug bust.
The Jasperite was one of six people arrested for charges related to drug trafficking last month, after a team of law enforcement agencies, including the Jasper RCMP, conducted a two-week operation targeting street-level drug dealers in Hinton and Jasper.
Roop was charged with trafficking cocaine, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime.
In court Jan. 8 the judge granted him more time to properly review the facts of his case, and Roop will appear in court again Jan. 22.
Theodore Vena, who was also charged, will appear that day, as well.
Partiers cause significant damage to campground
On Aug. 17, 2014 officers responded to a noise complaint at Whistlers Campground, after several people complained about a rowdy group of campers. When the officers arrived, a group was occupying one of the cooking shelters, playing loud music and causing a disturbance.
Members of the group were extremely intoxicated, and had lit a fire in the cooking oven. Smoke from the fire had damaged the shelter, and burned up the oven lining. The result was $3,500 in damages, and according to the crown’s lawyers, the risk of the fire spreading beyond the shelter.
Kyle MacDonald and Gillian Meaney each pleaded guilty to two offences, and were each fined $1,000. They will also each pay an additional $1,167 towards the shelter repair, which included a new paint job and a replacement stove.
Man fined after cannabis seized
Stanley Hatch pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis resin, landing him $715 worth of fines.
Hatch was stopped Sept. 11 just west of Jasper after an RCMP officer observed damage to his vehicle. Once he was pulled over, officers noticed the smell of raw marijuana coming from the vehicle. After a search they seized 131 grams of marijuana and 17 grams of cannabis resin.
Judge John Higgerty said he was showing leniency to the 55-year-old by handing down the fines because of his fairly clean criminal record and his early guilty plea.
Illegal weapon confiscated
Shane Briggs was in court Jan. 8 after having his belt buckle confiscated by police.
After stopping Briggs for a “highway infraction” an RCMP officer noticed the buckle, which doubled as a pair of brass knuckles, in Briggs’ vehicle. Brass knuckles are a prohibited weapon, and the officer confiscated them immediately.
On Jan. 8, the 36-year-old oil field worker was fined $520, and banned from possessing weapons for two years.
Trevor Nichols
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